In many ways 7 Wonders: Duel resembles its parent game 7 Wonders as
over three ages players acquire cards that provide resources or advance
their military or scientific development in order to develop a
civilization and complete wonders. What's different about 7 Wonders:
Duel is that, as the title suggests, the game is solely for two players,
with the players not drafting card simultaneously from hands of cards,
but from a display of face-down and face-up cards arranged at the start
of a round.

A player can take a card only if it's not covered by any others, so
timing comes into play as well as bonus moves that allow you to take a
second card immediately. As in the original game, each card that you
acquire can be built, discarded for three coins, or used to construct a
wonder. Each player starts with four wonder cards, and the construction
of a wonder provides its owner with a special ability. Only seven
wonders can be built, though, so one player will end up short.

Players can purchase resources at any time from the bank, or they can
gain cards during the game that provide them with resources for future
building; as you acquire resources, the cost for those particular
resources increases for your opponent, representing your dominance in
this area. A player can win 7 Wonders: Duel in one of three ways. Each
time that you acquire a military card, you advance the military marker
toward your opponent's capital, giving you a bonus at certain positions.
If you reach the opponent's capital, you win the game immediately.
Similarly, if you acquire all six different scientific symbols, you
achieve scientific dominance and win immediately. If neither of these
situations occurs, then the player with the most points at the end of
the game wins.